Method and apparatus to supply a beverage to a filling machine and fill containers thereby



Nov. 24, 1953 F. T. GRICAR, JR., ET AL METHOD AND AP FILLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 17. 1949 PARATUS TO SUPPLY A BEVERAGE TO A AND FILL. CONTAINERS THE REBY 5 Shets-$heet 1 3/4/72 7 di /@9573 Za /:2:- J Jayme)"; y aye Z. /V;Vcr'

filprney Nov. 24, 1953 GRICAR, JR. ET AL" 2,660,360 METHOD AND APPARATUS TO SUPPLY A BEVERAGE TO A FILLING MACHINE AND FILL CONTAINERS THEREBY Filed Sept. 17, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v mm: mm 4 wfmfl m N l I f @m Z i/a M 4 0 2 a V W/0 w Q V7. 7 5 a 00 4 7 5 w N v- 4, 1953 F. T. GRICAR, JR., ET AL 2,6 36

METHOD AND APPARATUS TO SUPPLY A BEVERAGE TO A FILLING MACHINE AND FILL CONTAINERS THEREBY Filed Sept. 17, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS 3/4/12 7. Jrvcer a filler c/ fan/7161K jlbrzzey 4 53 F T GRICAR, JR., ET AL ,6 3

METHOD AND APPARATUS TO SUPPLY A BEVERAGE TO A FILLING MACHINE AND FILL. CONTAINERS THEREBY Filed Sept. 17, 1949 t 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 j A" 7 g ms/T015;

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METHOD AND APPARATUS T0 SUPPLY A BEVERAGE TO A FILLING MACHINE AND FILL. CONTAINERS THEREBY Filed Sept. 17. 1949 ,5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS TO SUPPLY A BEVERAGE TO A FILLING MACHINE AND FILL CONTAINERS THEREBY Frank T. Gricar, Jr., Walter J. Sommers, and George L. N. Meyer, Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to Geo. J. Meyer Manufacturing Company, Cudahy, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application September 17, 1949, Serial No. 116,356

19 Claims. (Cl. 226-117) 1 This invention relates to brewery equipment and more particularly to a method and apparatus to supply a beverage to a. filling machine.

In supplying beer from government tanks to the filler by the centrifugal pump acting againsta fixed counter-pressure in the filler bowl. Due to the low capacity of the filler bowl it has been impractical to stop and restart the pump, since the centrifugal pump requires time to build up to the desired pressure.

Hence when the filler is shut down due to mechanical or other causes, the centrifugal pump continues to run, churning the beer within the impellor and causing foaming or so called wild beer. This effect is further aggravated upon restarting the pumping since the beer surges, causing further foaming.

The centrifugal pump also has a tendency to churn air into the beer and thus reduce its palatability.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of supplying filler bowls with beer, carbonated beverages, or the like, which will prevent undue absorption of air.

Another object is to provide an apparatus which will supply beer, carbonated beverages, or the like, from a supply tank to a filler bowl.

Another object is to provide a method and an apparatus to supply beer, carbonated beverages, or the like, to a filler bowl which will eliminate surging.

A further object is to provide an apparatus which will automatically vent free air from the beer line.

A still further object is to provide a method of supplying beer to a bottle or can filler which will maintain the level of beverage in the filler bowl at a constant height.

A still further object is to provide a method of supplying beer or other carbonated beverages to a filler bowl in a quiescent condition. 1

A still further object is to provide an appakratus which will deliver beer or other carbonated beverages from a supply tank to a filler bowl without undue agitation.

A still further object is to provide a method of supplying beer or other carbonated beverages from a tank to a filler bowl which will avoid sub..-

' and by-pass;

sure.

A still further object is to provide an apparatus which will supply beer or other carbonated beverages from a supply tank to a filler bowl at;

substantially constant pressure.

A still further object is to provide means to maintain a constant bowl pressure, regardless of tank pressure.

A still further object is to provide an apparatus that will permit the regulation of bowl; pressure in the filler to suit beverage conditions Without change in tank pressure.

A still further object is to provide a method: of supplying beer, or the like, to a filling ma-; chine, which will prevent the beer from foaming;

A still further object of the invention is to provide a method of supplying beer, or the like, to a filling machine, which Will entrain a minimum; of air in the beverage.

Still further objects will become apparent from the following specification which when taken in; conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrate an apparatus adapted to carry the improved method into effect.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic view of a filler bowl,

the government tank, and the beverage supply system;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the air control valve for the filler bowl; Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-section taken, through the air valve shown in Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5 is a cross-section through the automatic relief valve; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal cross-section through the beer line and the bubble trap; Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the beer pump Fig. 8 is a plan View of the main pump and drive therefor, as shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 9 is a side elevational View of the pump drive shown in Fig. 8. 1 Referring to the drawings and particularly to Fig. l, the bottle or can filler may comprise a filler bowl [0, which is shown in cross-section and which may be mounted on a column (not shown) from a base H. The filler l0ll may be located on any desired floor of a bottling plant, and is most conveniently placed adjacent the discharge end of a bottle washer. In the bottling of beer, the government tank [2 is usually located in the basement, due to the ease of mainjecting the beverage to sudden surges of pres- 3 taining the low temperatures necessary to preserve the unbottled beer.

Since the bottle or can filler is usually somewhat remote from the government tank I2 and the pressure the 'governmenvtankism-ct an accurate controlfor rate f feed of thesbeverage to the filler l0 under all operating conditions,

the beverage is pumped from the government tank l2 t0 the filler I0. 7

The filler bowl l0 contains'apmrali'ty. nfill-er:- valves In which are mounted'in'apertures inltiie bottom of the bowl and supply the bevera'g'e'to the containers. The valves- 12 provide constant containers previously fed into themachin are being filled.

The beverage is supplied to the filler bowl Ill from the government tank l2 through a pipe line l3 which allows the beverage to flow through a snut-orrzvaive H! into a bubble trap lfl. The trap M, which is shown in detail in Fig. 6, re cei-ves the liquid from the pipe. I 3; :in a chamber It? and allowsi it to pass upwardly. into a: sight glass 1E1 A b'all checivvalve i l-=fioatson :the: bev erage and seats againsttavent'openingi18:00:11 tiiini-iig-apetcock 19-. The. cock isris maintained open: during operation of the system so that: air: above the level of the beverage canpass ofi through' thei vent l8; When there-isnofgasdn the trap and the trap is fill-ed; with liquid; the; ball 11 seats: against the: vent l8? to retainthe: liquid. Should free. gas-.irm in. thebevera'ge and rise to the surface; lthelerel of i the liqu-idsin the trap would" drop and the: ball, I l 1 would drop ircm'the vent opening 1.8:- topermit the gas; to bleedofLth-i'bugh'theyent;

In its lower po'sition the valve 11- seats-one sea-c over the 'ch'amber litirprevent gas from returning to the governmenttanin A valve lifter; Ill: is provided to manuallyv lift? the ball- H; from its seat-.

"Frein thetsi'ght glass IS; the. beveragepasses mm a discharge chamber 24 r from whence it-coni tinues the passage through the pipe?! 8;

A pressure gage 23 may be tapped-into the pipe between-rthei gbvernment:tank i 21 andithectrapj M to indicatethepi'essure in the tank i 2 a The pipe l3 delivers the beverage to a valveless positive displacement. pump 2 5:such: as-a geara'or vane type pump shown which isfdriven by'an electric mctor'i26' through a belt: 28 and :a variable-speed drive;v Such a'pump is used because of its large: capacity, .its. lack' of valves and its substantially pulse-free-characteri'stic.

The-details oflth-e motor and driving'. unit 'are shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Referring to=thosefig+ tires; the motor ZS -a'ndthe .pump fiiare mounted on a common base 215, the motorifimeingzcarried on a pa'ir'ofang'l'e "irons 24 The anglel irons 24 have downturnecl legs with apertures there-e through-to receive guide rods 25.. 'Th'e'guide rods 25' are"min m-Ledin the-upstanding: legss of angle ironszt'.

A screw 21 mounted between the angles 261' passes thrcugh the duwnturned legs of th'e angles 24?',"and-engages a nut 21f fiXedtotheanglasZl to'adju'stthe position of the motor 26 on its base.

"The-motor 26drivesthe V -belt 28 througlian adjustablepulley 28'; The pulley is-a Hi-110i variable speedpulley} which varies the driving ratio by the position f 1 the motor on its mount; ing. Thatfis, the'fui'ther away fromrthe-pump. the 'motor is -'moved; the lower the speed erthe The belt 28 drives a pulley 29 which is connected to the pump 25 through a friction drive 29', so that in case of overload, the friction drive will slip to prevent breakage of parts.

The beverage-leaves the pump:25, through a pipe which contains aucheckvalve. 31 to prevent back flow of the beverage when the pump stops, and a gage 36' to record the pressure inthe line.

The beverage fiows through a pipe 32, through a 'sight glass" 33,.past a line drain valve 34, through a beverage valve 35, and past a bowl drainvalve 31,.tof a rotary stufiing box 38 where the bevemgepassesdnto a plurality of beverage supplylines 40 which deliver the beverage to the bbwl l A -beverage bypass-42 is provided around the pump 25 and is shown as connected between the pipe ia and the pipes 30-32. The by-pass is closed by a cut-off valve 43.

flounter pressure airor. other. gas supplied to-thebowl- I Q-from-a source (not shown) through. apipiefifl, t mugh a pressure regulator 5,l,..in-.- fi eage -52. to anair column 54 which forms astorageireservoir. From the air: column:

Mtheainflows through a pipe- 56,; throughan.

air filter 51;; .a check valve 58, and. a valvel59,- to.

a-pipeiflrleading to: aztriple stufiingfboxth Fromthe-stufiing box the-air. passes through; a pine 63, a checlc valve 64;, and a globe valve.B5

an'd into the-upper. part or the bowl lit-above the highestlevel of liquid therein.

A pipe: 10 receives airfrom thepipe B'3Pand conducts-f it at a predetermined pressurefrom a;

pressureregulator. H to a valve housing 12} best. seen in Fig-.- 4; Referring. to that figurelthelvalve housing 12 contains a nipple l3 whichi s .provided. with a' central vertical Open ng I'A terminating; at itsslower endin-a downwardly racing valve: seat adaptedtov receive-a ball valve 15. Thevalve 15, when seated, shuts. 011 the flow oi. air fromthe. pipe-'wtoavalve chamber'l'l.

When the valve l5 is off its upperseatinthe nipple 13, air under pressure fiowsthrough the pipc-mipast-the. valve 'LBlthrQu-gh the chamber 11.:- andzinto. a? pipe :80. From the; pipe 89 the air passes through the stufiing box 62 and through a; pipeB'i; toactuate apressure switch 82; Themessure: switch; 8 2 vi is:- arranged; to close: and. supply current to an automatic starter at -whiclrstarts; the motor 26.

A" line switch 83- is provided inzthe circuit to cut o'fi' the flow'off current from the switch -82 -f to the starterffl'd when the switch 83" is in'open' position.

Referring. again-tc-Fi'gs. 2; 3 and'4 thevalve housing 'lI'is supported'on a shelftfion a bracket, 85.- Ihebracketfls held-to the filler bowl by a paclcing glandt I which has-a threaded vendtii toreceive the apertured end of the brackettfi, the apertured. endbeing; held. on; the threaded end by;a :nutJGS;

Thezpacking glandtiireceives ashait Sllrwhich is actuated by a float 9| andfloatrodzei shown diagrammaticallyinflig. l; andshown indotted linesvinzFi g; .2: Packingieii; held in placeby a packing nut19l; .preventsth'e escape .ofi gasirom thebowldfl;

Theshaftflflfihas: alsquareiendisii oniwhich is clampedianzactuating lever: 91; (Figs. 2iandr8 i The lever 91 has a bracket flsformed-on oneside thereol. whichv receives an. actuatingtscrew. 99.:

Thescrewilfi contacts the upper side of a float ingaleverd lmtolncve the levercounter-clockwise,

r matte as seen in Fig. 2, as the float 9I drops in the bowl I0.

The lower portion of the lever 91 has a screw I02 passing therethrough which screw has a cup on the inner side to receive the base of a spring I03. The upper end of the spring I03 is received in a recess in the floating lever I and constantly urges the lever upward, or clockwise, as seen in Fig. 2, against the action of the screw 99.

The floating lever I00 is loosely mounted on the shaft 90 and contacts a valve stem I which operates in an aperture I06 in the valve housing I2. The opening I06 has a valve seat I01 at the upper end thereof which is closed by the valve I5 in its lower position.

In moving upward under the influence of the spring I03, the stem I05 moves the valve I5 off its seat I0I permitting air in the chamber 11 and the pipe 80 to vent through the aperture I 06, and at the same time moves the valve I5 onto its upper valve seat I4 at the lower end of the opening I4 thus closing off the air from the pipe I0 and opening the switch 82 to stop the motor.

In order to keep thep ressure in the bowl I0 substantially constant, a relief valve H0 is provided. The relief valve I I0, seen outlined in Fig. 1 and in detail in Fig. 5, may comprise an intake pipe I I I leading from the filler bowl to a pressure chamber H2. The chamber II2 has a spring pressed diaphragm I I3 for one wall. The spring pressed diaphragm carries a valve II5 which seats on a valve seat II 6 and is normally held thereon by a spring III, which also urges the diaphragm into its lowest position in the chamber II2. When pressure builds up over a given amount above the desirable bowl pressure the pressure within the chamber II2 lifts the valve II5 01f its seat H6 and permits excess air to blow off through a vent pipe II9. A gage I enables the relief valve to be set for any desired pressure.

A bracket I2I supports the relief valve IIll from the bowl I0.

Operation To start the apparatus the valve is closed and the bowl pressure regulator 5I-52 is set for the desired bowl pressure. The valves 59 and 65 may then be opened, permitting air to flow from the source (not shown) through the pressure regulator 5| into the air column 54. From the air column 54 the air flows through the pipe 56 into an air filter 51 which cleanses it. From the filter 51 the air goes past the check valve 58, through the air valve 59, through the pipe 60, through the stufling box 62, through the pipe 63, the check valve 64, and the valve 65 and fills the bowl I0 with air under a predetermined pressure.

After the bowl is filled with air under pressure, the relief valve IIO may be set, by means of the gage I20, to blow off at one pound above operating pressure.

As is well known in this art, the bottles or containers to be filled by the liquid supplied by the filler bowl through the many filler valves have air in them which is displaced by the liquid during the filling operation, and this air is vented into the space in the upper part of the filler bowl. Since the relief valve I I0 has been set to blow oif at one pound above operating pressure, and since air supply from the source through the pipe 50 is only fed through the reducer 5I at a pressure substantially identical with operating pressure, it is obvious that in the normal continuous operation of this filler bowl no air will be supplied through the pipe 50, but air scavenged fromthe bottles or cans being filled will accumulate so es to raise the pressure in the bowl until the relief valve IIO opens and exhausts it from the bowl. This, in combination with the positive displacement pump provides a markedly different operational condition from that heretofore provided in filler bowl operation.

The air pressure regulator II may then be set for seven pounds, the pressure necessary to actuate the pressure switch 82.

The line drain valve 34 and the by-pass valve 43 may then be opened permitting beer (where that beverage is being bottled) to flow from the government tank I 2, under accumulated pressure in the tank, through the pipe I3, through the valve I3, through the trap I4, around the pump 25, through the by-pass 42, through the pipe 32, through the sight glass 33, and to flow out the valve 34. The beer is allowed to continue to flow from the valve 34 until solid beer appears in the sight glass 33. The valve 34 may then be closed.

It is not necessary to start the pump for this operation since the government tank I2 is under some pressure, suflicient to force the beer up through the valve 34.

The by-pass valve 43 is then closed and the beer valve 35 is opened.

After the beer valve 35 is opened, the pump 25 may be started by manually closing the switch 83, which permits the pressure switch 82 to function under the pressure from the line -8I.

The pump 25 and motor 26 are adjusted to the speed of the filler I0 so that the pump runs a maximum amount of time. This is done by adjusting the motor on its base through the screw 21.

The pump continues to run, pumping the beverage into the filler bowl I0 until the float 9I rises to the desired level.

When the beverage in the filler bowl I0 reaches the desired level, the actuating lever 92 moves the floating lever I00 clockwise on the shaft raising the stem I05 to move the ball valve I5 (Fig. 4) oil the seat I01 and onto the seat I4. Raising the valve I5 off the seat I01 and onto the seat I4 cuts off air from the pipe I0 and bleeds the air from the pipe 80 through the aperture I06. As the pressure drops in the pipe 80-8I (Fig. l) the switch 82 opens shutting off the motor 26 stopping the pump 25. Since both the motor and the pump possess mechanical inertia, the pump does not stop instantly but slows down gradually when coming to a stop and speeds up gradually in starting. It is sudden changes in either pressure or velocity which cause the carbon dioxide gas to become less stable or unstable in the beverage and results in foaming and loss of control in filling.

When the level of the beverage drops the actuating lever 97 is rotated counter-clockwise and the screw 99 (Figs. 2 and 3) contacts the upper edge of the floating lever I00 permitting the stem I05 to drop and permitting the valve I5 to uncover the port I4 and close the port I09 thus allowing pressure to flow through the pipe I0, through the pipes 30-BI, and close the pressure switch 82 to restart the motor 26.

Should the level of the beverage in the bowl I0 drop, the air pressure is maintained constant by the air column 54. As the level of the beverage rises again, excess air is drained ofl through the automatic blow-off valve IIO.

To return the beverage to the government tank, the pump 25 is stopped by manually throwing the switch 83 to ofi position, thus disconnecting ping the pump in the event the supply to the filler exceeds the demand of the filler.

11. The method of supplying a carbonated beverage from a tank through a filler bowl to a series of valves for continuous filling of container to be filled, comprising, passing the beverage through a valveless rotary positive displacement pump in supplying the beverage from the tank to the filler bowl, continuously filling a series of containers through said valves, regulating the output of the pump by varying the speed thereof to conform to the flow of the beverage into the containers, stopping the pump when the supply to the filler exceeds the demand by the filler valves and restarting the pump when the demand returns to normal.

12. The method of supplying a carbonated beverage from a tank to a filler bowl, including a pipe line connecting the two which comprises,

supplying counter-pressure gas to said bowl, controlling the fiow of the beverage through the pipe line by passing the beverage through a motor actuated valveless rotary positive displacement pump whereby the inertia in starting and stopping the pump causes gradual changes in both pressure and velocity in the system, retaining the CO2 gas in solution in the beverage.

13. The method of supplying a carbonated beverage from a tank through a filler bowl to containers to be filled, comprising, passing the beverage through a valveless rotary positive displacement pump in supplying the beverage from the tank to the filler bowl, continuously filling a series of containers from said bowl, regulating the output of the pump by varying the speed thereof to conform to the flow of the beverage into the containers, stopping the pump when the level of the beverage in the filler bowl rises above a predetermined level and restarting the pump when the liquid level in the filler bowl drops below a predetermined minimum.

14. A device to supply a carbonated beverage from a tank to a filler bowl, comprising, means to supply gas to said bowl at a predetermined counter-pressure, a valveless rotary positive displacement pump, means to conduct the beverage from the tank to the pump and to deliver the beverage from the pump to the filler bowl, and means responsive to the level of liquid in said bowl to start the pump when the level of liquid falls below a desired minimum and to stop the pump when the level of the beverage rises above a desired maximum.

15. An apparatus to supply a carbonated beverage from a tank through filler valves in a filling machine to containers to be filled, comprising, a valveless rotary positive displacement pump adapted to receive the beverage from the tank and transmit the beverage to the filling machine, a filler bowl in said machine, means to supply gas under a predetermined counter-pressure to the filler bowl above the level of the beverage therein, pressure actuated means responsive to the level of beverage in the filling machine to control the flow of beverage from the pump to the filling machine in the manner to maintain substantially constant level in the filling machine, and a plurality of valves in said filling machine adapted to supply the liquid from the filling machine to containers to be filled.

16. A device to supply a carbonated beverage from a tank to a filler bowl, comprising, a valveless rotary positive displacement pump, conduit means to conduct the beverage from the tank to the pump and to deliver the beverage from the pump to the filler bowl, means to start and stop said pump responsive to the level of the liquid in the filler bowl, and means to maintain a predetermined constant counter-pressure on the beverage in the bowl.

17. An apparatus to supply a carbonated beverage from a tank to a filler bowl, comprising, a valveless rotary positive displacement pump adapted to transmit the beverage from the tank to the filler bowl, means to supply counter-pressure gas to said bowl, a float adapted to float on the surface of the beverage and indicate the level of the liquid in the filler bowl, and means actuated by said fioat to start or stop the pump to regulate the flow of beverage into the filler bowl, whereby the level of the liquid inthe filler bowl remains substantially constant within predetermined limits.

18. An apparatus to supply a carbonated beverage from a tank to a filler bowl, comprising, a valveless rotary positive displacement pump adapted to transmit the beverage from the tank to the filler bowl, means to maintain a predetermined constant counter-pressure in said bowl above the beverage, a float adapted to float on the surface of the beverage Within said bowl and indicate the level of the liquid therein, and means actuated by said fioat to start or stop the pump to regulate the flow of beverage into the filler bowl, whereby the level of liquid in the filler bowl remains substantially constant in the bowl.

19. A filler system for carbonated beverages which comprises: a filler bowl, a source of beverage supply for said filler bowl, means to supply counter-pressure gas to said bowl, a pipe joining the source of supply with the filler bowl to conduct beverage therebetween, and a valveless rotary positive displacement pump interposed in said pipe to regulate the pressure and velocity therein without substantial fluctuation in either pressure or velocity during the normal operation of the pump.

FRANK T. GRICAR, JR. WALTER J. SOMMERS. GEORGE L. N. MEYER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 530,681 Dales Dec. 11, 1894 538,833 Hofimann et a1 May 7, 1895 909,574 Ford Jan. 12, 1909 1,309,505 Beach July 8, 1919 1,384,538 Muller July 12, 1921 1,600,162 Browne Sept. 14, 1926 1,683,338 Evinrude Sept. 4, 1928 1,872,462 Johnson et al Aug. 16, 1932 1,979,407 Pike 1 Nov. 6, 1934 1,989,870 Lafferty Feb. 5, 1935 2,009,648 Carlson July 30, 1935 2,127,615 Peters Aug. 23, 1938 2,462,019 Bowman Feb. 15, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 24,634 Great Britain Oct. 30, 1913 

